


A REST FOR THE UNSTEADY

by fox_rouge



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drama, F/M, Fluffy, Romance, han jisung - Freeform, hwang hyunjin - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25946803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fox_rouge/pseuds/fox_rouge
Summary: Moon Nano is about to graduate when she realizes that everything in her life is out of place. She is an Architecture student, but she likes to write and wants to be a journalist, even though she isn't qualified for it. Everything around her starts to get more confused when the talented Han Jisung appears in her life to stay. Literally.
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Original Female Character(s)





	1. 01

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the Chinese drama Put Your Head On My Shoulder. Don't forget to Kudo it and comment, support the author!  
> Please, don't translate it without my permission, and, most importantly, don't plagiarize.

There is a wall in my dorm room where I paste all the drawings I did for university assignments with good grades. There are five in total. Five drawings for almost five years in the University.

I don't know how to draw, to be honest. Math? I could be better, to be honest again. I'm sure my colleagues and my teachers must think: " _why this girl, with average math skills and a not very good hand for sketches, is studying architecture?"_.

Because of my parents, that's the answer. My mom was a brilliant architect and my dad wanted me to be just like her. Maybe, in the beginning, I wanted it, as well.

But not anymore. I realized this isn't for me. It's what I feel, or rather, what I don't feel.

I'm looking at the drawings right now, gathering the courage to get out of bed. It's early morning and I still have plenty of time, but today is an important day: I have an internship interview! 

Suddenly, my cell phone starts to ring. I stretch out while still lying on the bed and I splay my hands until my fingers touch the device. It's Hyunjin.

“Hey” I answer while I stretch my whole body and my voice comes out funny.

“Are you still lying down?” he asks. “I'm already down here waiting for you!”

“What? The interview is in three hours, we still have time.”

A moment of silence. Oh no. Not again.

“You took your dad's car, right?” I ask, the laziness disappearing immediately.

He hangs up without saying no more. He didn't even have to, cause I understand.

My outfit is already chosen, so I just get dressed quickly. Black tailored trousers, a light blue turtleneck, and ankle boots. 

I look in the mirror and as I expected I look simple but adult enough.

I pick up the rest of my stuff and finish getting ready in silence. My roommate is still sleeping soundly and I don't wanna bother her so early on a weekend morning.

Hyunjin is waiting outside the girls' dormitory with his bicycle. There is a problem.

Hyunjin and I have been friends for a long time, since high school. He has a surreal fear of driving cars and took his driver's license out of obligation, as he doesn't have a car and let alone intend to have one.

In fact, I think it's adorable that he rides a bike. It's different and more ecological, right? But not when he promised to give me a ride.

“Good morning, Moony” he greets me. No one calls me by that nickname but him.

“Hi, Hyunnie!” I exclaim.

I get closer and he hugs me as clumsily as ever. Hwang Hyunjin is much taller than me, it's almost funny.

“Don't be mad at me” he asks, carefully stroking my arm. “I tried to get the car, but I couldn't. For real, before I even started it, I knew it wouldn't work. The place is about 30 km from here, right?”

“10 km” I corrected and his face turned a little red. “Hey, never mind, it's all right. I would never let you ride 30 km on your bike for me.”

As a good friend, he praises my outfit and guarantees that everything will work out. I try to believe his words, but I can't leave nervousness aside.

I sit on the pillion and hug Hyunjin from behind. As we go through the streets, still so calm that early in the morning, I notice some stares in our direction. It's always that way.

It's not weird to be like that with Hyunjin and many people really do believe that we are a couple. The truth is that I have known him for so long that I feel comfortable in his presence and I don't care that people think we are together.

After all, I know that we will end up together eventually, in one way or another. It's always the two of us, there, for each other. Hyunjin only needs to realize this but for a Dance student, he really spent too much time trying not to lose the rhythm.

As we have plenty of time, we stopped at one of the University's cafeterias to eat something. It's a lazy Monday morning and with only a few students awake so early. The line to help ourselves is short and soon we are at our usual table having breakfast.

I'm so nervous that I can barely get a bite to eat or talk to Hyunjin. That interview needs to work, perfectly, without any flaws.

Hyunjin is still eating and I grab a book from my backpack. It's about the most important newspapers in the world, like The New York Times, The Guardian, El País, and, of course, Chosun Ilbo.

I am rereading some pages that I left marked when Hyunjin gets up in a hurry.

“Damn it, Moony, I totally forgot” he says, picking up his backpack from the floor. “I have to attend the academic center meeting this morning, is it okay if I leave you there early?”

I look at my watch. I could spend more time getting ready…

“Yep, you're the boss” I replied, putting the book back in my backpack. But before I zip it up, he pulls me by the arm, and we almost runoff.

Hyunjin is in such a hurry and biking so fast that it looks like we are flying. I know that he is part of a type of club within his Dance classmates, that represents the university in academic competitions.

I put my head on his shoulders and sigh. If he had warned me of the meeting, I would've taken a taxi or a bus and not rushed him to do that favor for me.

Hyunjin swears and I raise my head, startled. The bike seems to have hit something because the speed is slowing down dramatically. I try to hold on to him but my body is thrown off the bike and I fall on my side, rolling.

My arms and legs are aching as I try to get up. Hyunjin is already on his feet trying to lift the bicycle.

“Hey, did you hurt?” an unknown voice asks.

I look to my side, as opposed to where the bike is, and another guy is getting up. I nod to him as I look at the things that were lying on the floor between us. I actually hadn't closed the backpack properly before leaving the cafeteria because now my belongings are on the floor.

“Are you okay?” Hyunjin pulls my arm, scared. “Come on, I'll help you, we're late.”

He quickly puts everything back in my backpack. The stranger boy, now standing up, comes to me and extends a hand.

“Can you get up?” he asks, looking much better than me.

I take his hand. The stranger is a little taller than me and seems calm with the situation, unlike me or Hyunjin.

“Why you didn't give way to us?” my best friend asks, looking annoyed. His expression becomes lighter when he looks at the stranger boy. “Ah, it's you.”

I look at the boy again, not understanding. I don't know who he is, but as Hyunjin knows him maybe I should too.

I don't recognize his face.

“If you weren't coming so fast, maybe” the boy replied, in a polite tone.

Without saying anything else, the boy walks away to his bike and rides as if he had just passed an insignificant stone and not over us, human bodies.

“Nano” Hyunjin looks at me, worried. “Your clothes.”

My pants are rasped on one knee and there is blood on the edges of the sleeves of my shirt as I have scratched my palms. Besides, of course, I'm all covered with dust and my hair is disheveled.

I try not to think about how I must look sloppy.

“Let's get going” I say, putting my backpack on my shoulders. “I can't be late, but please don't go too fast.”

* * *

I look in the mirror and fix the unruly strands of my hair while trying to control my despair. I arrived in time for the interview and Hyunjin barely let me off the bike, shouting good luck and a hurried goodbye. He left me alone in a terrible state, emotionally and visually speaking.

As soon as I arrived I presented myself at the reception of the company building and soon ran to the bathroom, to at least make things right and try to calm down.

Appearing all sloppy in a job interview alone is already unforgivable, but for an internship interview in a beauty and wellness magazine for women? Thousand times worse.

I return to the reception and when the clock strikes ten-thirty the receptionist authorizes me to enter. _Here I go_ , I think as I walk quickly to the appointed room.

Two recruiters, a woman, and a young boy are seated behind an imposing table and in front of them, there is a chair, where I sit after greeting them with a bow.

“Moon Nano?” the woman asks.

I nod and she takes one paper and hands the boy another. It must be my resume.

They read everything out loud, asking me to comment on some points and answer others.

“Miss Moon, our biggest question is” the boy puts my resume aside and looks directly at me, his expression very serious. “You are an Architecture student. Not Journalism.”

“At least if it were a course from Social Sciences or even Liberal Arts it would be understandable...” the woman reinforces the colleague's comment.

I open my backpack and pick up the book I was ready in the early morning. I prepared myself for that question, of course.

“I know it sounds odd” I start, trying not to let my nerves take over. “But I've always been fascinated by Journalism. I like to read news and watch reports. I even watch classes in this course sometimes...”

“Fascination and extra classes are not enough” the boy interrupts, looking at me over his glasses. ”Do you know how to write properly? Do you know the multimedia skills necessary to report a good story?”

I hesitate for a moment. _You prepared for this_ , a voice says in my head, _you know they would ask that kind of question. Show them._

I clear my throat and start again:

“I'm really good at writing. And I read a lot about the theory, I even attended some classes from the Journalism course, I always keep myself informed. I brought a good example of how important my admiration for Journalism is.”

I lift the book almost up to my face, the cover facing them.

“This book is one of my biggest inspirations. There is a lot of theory and also practice, as it's...”

“Musical Composition in the Context of Globalization?”

I raise an eyebrow, not understanding.

“Excuse me, what?”

“The book” the woman replies, pointing at my raised arm. “Musical Composition in the Context of Globalization. Do you find that inspiring for... Journalism?”

I don't react for one or two seconds. What is she talking about? That is the book about the most important newspapers in the world!

I place the book on my lap and when I read the gold letters on the cover I am horrified. That isn't my book. It's very similar, for sure, the color of the cover is the same and even the number of pages, but it's definitely not a book about Journalism.

“Miss Moon” the recruiter woman calls and I look at her appalled. “You clearly look lost.”

I feel a lump in my throat. I can't miss that chance, not because of a stupid book.

“I'm sorry, I must have made a mistake when picking up the right book!” I exclaim, showing the most forced smile of all. “It wasn't that one but I can continue, without problems, it was just a demonstration of how… I… Hm, I like Journalism.”

I hesitated on the last words when I saw the exchange of looks between them. They aren't believing in anything I say.

But that's my chance and I can't let it pass. If that internship becomes mine, all those stupid drawings and bad Architecture grades will no longer be important.

I just need to convince them.

“Look, I really, _really_ , want this place” I plead, clutching the book tightly in my hands. “Can I come back tomorrow? I'll bring the right book and also write something and prove that I have what you are looking for.”

“Miss Moon…” the boy starts, flexing his neck.

“I know that I study Architecture and that it has nothing to do with the internship prerequisites” I continue, but now with more determination. “I'm just asking for a chance to prove that I am capable of.”

The two look at each other and the boy shakes his head. My heart skips a beat and I barely feel the chair under me.

“Moon Nano” the woman says but turns to the boy. “Let's give a second chance. After all, she looks like she wants that internship.”

I take a deep breath as if a ton has come off my back. The smile I give to the recruiters couldn't be more honest.

The boy looks confused, but shrugs.

“Tomorrow, at the same time” he gives the final say. “Don't be late or bring the right book. I imagine that you really want this opportunity as well as all the other 40 people that we are going to interview today, so you better not go wrong again.”

* * *

After leaving the interview, I sent a message to Hyunjin.

> _You seem to know the boy we hit earlier today. We accidentally exchanged our books and I need mine back. URGENT. Can you ask him to meet me? "_

Hyunjin texted back quickly and asked me to meet him at one of the Uni's cafeteria, on Building B. And of course, the boy would be there. Hyunjin doesn't usually answer his messages that quickly so I imagine he must be feeling guilty for leaving in a hurry early today and also for not giving me a ride back.

He's a good guy, after all.

“Han Jisung” Hyunjin introduces the strange boy, raising one hand towards the boy sitting on the other side of the table and then raising the other one towards me. “Moon Nano.”

Despite everything, I smile at Jisung and he just reciprocates with an expressionless look. He holds my book out to me and I do the same with his.

“I needed this book for an internship interview” I comment amiably as we switch. “You have no idea how hard it was, I'm glad I was able to reschedule for tomorrow morning though.”

“And I missed a test because of that” Jisung replies, almost cutting me off. “That I won't be able to reschedule.”

I skeptically look at Hyunjin to see if he understands as I did. He got it.

“It was an accident” I say, still smiling. “The exchange of books. I didn't it on purpose.”

Jisung raises an eyebrow.

“Explain that to my teacher then” he counters. It doesn't seem rude, but it's far away from being nice.

I sigh and put _my_ book in my backpack. Screw that situation, I had gotten a second chance for the interview and that boy wasn't going to end my good mood.

“Maybe...” I say. “If you had studied properly, hard, you know? You wouldn't have needed the book that much.”

I bow to him and Hyunjin, then I leave, confidently.

Some people just can't reverse difficult situations. But that's not me.


	2. 02

"This is a bad idea, Nano" says my roommate when I finish telling her the whole story.

Before the afternoon classes, I decided to stop by the dorm to change clothes and take a shower. Jinju was stretched out on her bed as soon as I returned from the bathroom to change clothes.

I like Jinju, despite her too "to the point" manners. She is a good Architecture student, focused and precise. Very different from me.

"I managed to get another interview tomorrow!" I exclaim while trying to untangle my hair with the brush. "It will be different."

"Listen, I don't want to discourage you" she says, looking disinterested as she is using her cell phone. "It's just that there are some open internships for the Architecture field. You should try them."

"But I don't want to do an Architecture internship" I say convinced. "I hate Architecture."

Jinju looks away from the cell phone to turn her eyes at me, one eyebrow raised.

"So why are you still studying Architecture?" she asks. "Shouldn't you, I don't know, change your course?"

"There's only one more semester and a half left" I sigh. "I would have to start from scratch and my father would try to stop me. I would lose my scholarship and having to pay for everything wasn't going to be cheap..."

Jinju shrugs and goes back to the cell phone. I think the conversation ended for one of us.

* * *

I stop by Building B's cafeteria and buy a rice ball. I eat quickly while I walk to my first class in the afternoon.

That class isn't so boring, more theoretical than with actual calculus. It's the eighth part of the Design discipline that I had failed in the middle of the course and I am being forced to attend now. During the last semesters, it's normal for most classes to be elective, which is better for someone who doesn't like the course itself as I do.

However, I have compulsories delayed and I had to leave almost all electives for the next semester.

We are studying ecological design in that class, which is fun for me. The only part that I wasn't too bad the first time I did it.

The class has been running smoothly for a good 10 minutes when the door opens. I look curious to see who the late colleague is and…

Han Jisung.

I don't remember him in that class. Is he an Architecture student? No, his book was about music composition or something. 

Some girls look curious as he passes the empty chairs. Only when he is a few steps from my place I realize that he is coming towards my direction and looking at me.

That class may not be elective for him, but it belongs to many other students from other courses so the teacher doesn't even stop teaching because of his arrival.

He stops beside me.

"Moon Nano?"

I look at him in silence, not knowing what to say. Will he treat me badly like he did earlier today? In that strange, emotionless way?

"I forgot something in your book" he says, after waiting for an answer from me that didn't come. "Can you give it to me?"

"How do you know my book is here?" I ask, dismayed. Is he by any chance a guesser?

 **"** You said you needed it for your internship interview" he remembers. "And that it was rescheduled for tomorrow. I just imagined that you would keep the book to prepare yourself."

Although I just met know Jisung, I didn't think he could talk so much at once.

I take the book from my backpack and search between the pages. It has two folded stapled sheets. I check quickly and see that it's his homework with a maximum grade.

He picks up the sheet but I won't let him go yet.

 **"** How do you know I would be here?" I ask. Okay, I don't remember saying that to him, we hadn't talked that much.

 **"** Hyunjin told me" he replied.

Jisung nods and leaves, my colleagues' eyes following his movement until he walks out the door.

Some look turn to me and I pretend to pay attention to what the teacher is saying.

Now I'm curious. How does Hyunjin know that boy and never mention him to me? And why do people, especially girls, keep looking at him? Not wanting to be dismissive, Jisung is kinda handsome, but not a heartthrob.

Who is that boy?

* * *

At dinner, Hyunjin and I met at one of the University's restaurants. I am nervous about the rescheduled interview and I ask him not to leave me alone and to try to distract me.

 **"** Don't you like it?"he asks, pointing to my plate. He's almost done but I haven't touched the food yet. "Bulgogi is your favorite!"

 **"** I don't know"I comment, shrugging.

But he looks at me without believing. I am clearly anxious.

 **"** Nano" Hyunjin calls and I shift my eyes from the plate to him. "Tomorrow I'll take you to the interview, okay?"

 **"** No" I refuse, pushing the plate away from me. "Tomorrow everything needs to go perfect and I don't want to risk falling again or losing something."

 **"** By car"he adds, pushing my plate back towards me. "I'll take my dad's."

I smile at my best friend and take my plate back. That bulgogi is actually delicious!

While I finish my food, Hyunjin encourages me, saying that I will be able to sleep a little more and that we will be able to have coffee on time because he will have no commitment.

 **"** I'll wait for you there to give you a ride back" he promises, smiling. "This role will be yours, Moony."

As I eat, my nervousness gets smaller. Hyunjin is trying to calm me down and it's working.

When we are leaving the restaurant, I take out my cell phone to check the time and realize with surprise that the screen is cracked. I shouldn't have noticed it before, but it must have cracked when I fell off the bike!

 **"** Are you going to sleep now?" Hyunjin asks. "It's still early, but maybe you should go and take a rest."

 **"** My cell phone screen is cracked!" I say, showing him the device. "Damn... I guess I'll stop by the electronic repairs to change it."

 **"** Oh, okay" Hyunjin agrees. "See you tomorrow then?"

I look at him disappointed. He's being so thoughtful that night that maybe I thought he would want to stay with me until bedtime.

 **"** Hmm..." I'm thinking about asking him to go with me.

But he's already leaving.

 **"** Tomorrow then. Good night, Moony."

He kisses the top of my head and then left.

* * *

The University's electronic repair shop is small and not far from the restaurant I was at. I never really went there, but I know where it is because Junji had to get to fix her notebook a while ago.

The shop is empty except for the staff behind the counter, hunched over something, and a boy that I can't see the face.

 **"** Hi" I greet them.

The boy turns in my direction. It's Han Jisung.

 **"** Moon Nano" he says, recognizing me, of course.

I nod a little surprised and look at the staff, a small girl with glasses.

 **"** I broke my cell phone screen" I explain, placing the device on the counter. "Can you fix it now?"

"Of course!" she replies, taking out my cell phone. "I'm just finishing the boy's here and I'll do yours right after."

But there was no need to wait. Another staff, a boy, appeared from the back of the store and started working on mine.

I'm looking like an idiot without knowing what to do beside Jisung.

 **"** Uh..." I start, anyway. There is no one else there and after what we have been through today it's strange to be in silence with him. "Did you also break your cell phone because of our little accident today?"

 **"** Yes" he replies. "Although I didn't get hurt as much as you did."

"I'm fine!" I answer too quickly and he just shrugs. I stay quiet for a while just watching the staff working without saying anything else. Was he being nice?

 **"** It's okay to put a protector on top of the screen?" the staff boy asked me. "If your cell phone falls again it will be safer."

 **"** Sure" I answer smiling. "As long as you no one run me over with a bike again, I think my cell phone will survive."

Jisung looks at me with a frown. He must be a difficult person to interact with.

A few more minutes and the staff ends with my cell phone. It even looks brand new.

I look at the girl who is fixing Jisung's cell phone and she seems to be having a problem fitting a new screen. At least he doesn't seem irritated by the time it's taking.

The staff boy takes a sheet and holds it out to me.

 **"** The expense goes to your monthly fee" he informs. "Then you need to fill this out."

The form asks for some basic information that I fill in quickly. Although I have a scholarship from the University that covers most of the costs, I think that wouldn't be included.

I hand the form back and the staff checks to see if everything is right.

"Okay" he says, putting the sheet on an folder. "Moon Nano, Architecture Department."

Jisung turns towards me, surprised.

 **"** Are you into Architecture?" he asks. "I thought it was Journalism. Because of your book and the interview."

I look at him and his expression is genuinely confused. I am so tired of trying to explain the situation and Jinju was enough of the day's dose of discouragement.

 **"** Long story"I reply, putting my cell phone in my pants pocket. I thanks the staff and left with just a nod to Jisung. 

He nods back and turns to watch the girl struggling with his phone. When I leave the repair shop, he still looks confused.

* * *

The next morning I wake up without Hyunjin's call.

Like yesterday, my clothes are already separated and so are all my things. I leave the dorm without waking up Jinju.

I go to the cafeteria, grab something to eat, and sit down. I text Hyunjin and drop the phone to eat. He should answer me soon.

But when I finish eating, there is no answer. Where is Hyunjin?

Of course, I know where the male dormitory is, but I highly doubt that the male wing monitor will let me in. It isn't worth trying.

I try to call Hyunjin but the call doesn't go through. Should the cell phone be out of range? Or off.

 **"** Hyunnie" I whisper, trying not to be nervous. "Where are you?"

I wait for a few minutes and try to control my breathing. It won't go wrong, it's my second chance. Second chances are a sign that fate is conspiring in favor of something, right.

However, the minutes go by and nothing. The clock shows that I have another hour or so before the interview starts. If I wait too long and he doesn't show up, I may lose my time.

The cafeteria begins to fill with students, but none of them are Hyunjin. I try to stay calm by remembering that the distance is not that far, I can take a bus and get there in time.

With half an hour left, I give up. Hyunjin will not appear. I feel like crying with disappointment, but I control myself. That isn't the time to be silly.

I look at the online map and check the bus stops. It has a bus stop near the Department of Music. I think I know where I should stop.

I run to the bus stop and almost laugh out loud when I see the bus that's stopped. It's the bus I have to take! It's the sign of destiny! And I'm going after it.


	3. 03

The bus is going too fast and I blame the feeling of nausea at the high speed.

I keep my eye on the map of my cell phone all the time, following the blue dot that is me, getting closer to where I should get off.

When I realize I'm close, I get up and push the button to stop the bus. Luckily I'm holding onto one of the bars near the door because the bus stops sharply, and my body is thrown to the side.

Embarrassed, I look around to check if the other passengers have seen my strange movement, but no one seems to care. The door opens and I almost run down, feeling my face red.

As the bus leaves, I look at my cell phone to check the location again. Uh oh, something is wrong.

The red dot, which points to the location of the interview, it's appearing many meters ahead of where I am now. I pinch my fingers together on the screen to minimalize de view, confused.

I look more closely and see that I must have pushed the stop button too soon when the bus was still passing the stop before I should have got off. That's why the sudden brake, the driver must have thought I was late when I actually went ahead!

I look around frustrated. The street is weird, this is the impression I have as I hurriedly walk in the direction that seems to be the right one. There aren't many people around and the vehicles pass very fast, the noise of tires against the asphalt is incessant.

I come at a street intersection and on my left and I see an imposing white and black building on the other side. It's the Music Department of my University, as my map had shown.

The University campus is extensive that I had to take that bus route to go around it. The building reminds me of Han Jisung, the boy who ran over me with his bicycle yesterday. He studies in that department, but I have no idea which course. Composition, maybe?

It's at this moment, when I am distracted, that I don't realize that I am about to cross the street without looking sideways.

"Hey!" a male voice exclaims near me and a hand tugs me by the arm before I leave the sidewalk.

The traffic light is green and the cars pass in front of me at a high speed. I feel my heart racing and I look at the owner of the hand that is squeezing my arm very tightly.

He's an unknown guy, maybe a few years older than me.

"T-T-thanks!" I say to him, feeling nervous about the fright of seconds ago.

The guy smiles but doesn't let go of my arm, the grip is so strong that it must be interrupting my blood circulation.

"Give me your cell phone" he orders, still smiling.

I look at him for a few seconds, without understanding. As if it were possible, I notice that he is squeezing my arm even tighter and when I look around desperately I see that besides the cars passing there is no one around.

Oh, sure. He's robbing me.

"No!" the answer comes out of my mouth automatically.

I try to free myself but that damn squeeze is almost taking my arm off as the stranger tries to stop my movement.

“Come on, girl. I just want your cell phone, that's all” he insists, as I try to get rid of his clutches.

We stay for a few more seconds like that, until he puts his arm behind his back and pulls something. My eyes catch the reflection of the sharp object and I instinctively try to loosen myself harder.

Which was totally wrong.

The stranger also seems nervous because when he raises the knife above his head, he hesitates for milliseconds and I escape his fingers. But it's so fast that the feeling of freedom mixes with the pain that invades my stomach when he trips me and I fall to the floor.

He takes advantage that I'm out of breath and lifts me with an arm around me and takes me to an alley. _He will kill me_ , I think bewildered.

"Give me the cell phone, now!" he orders again, looking angrier than before.

I try to answer, but I'm still out of breath. And it costs me dearly.

The stranger raises the knife again and this time he is aiming. With a horrendous _“stomp”_ , the boy buries the knife in my right forearm and pulls it back, causing me to drop my cell phone by reflex.

Again I fall, but this time face down, and the pain that invades my arm is like nothing I've felt before. The boy's hand appears in front of my eyes but he is just reaching for the device.

As I desperately watch him run away, I realize that he really just wanted my cell phone. If I hadn't reacted that way, I wouldn't have been stabbed.

I am completely shaking as I try to get up, my left hand pressing on the forearm where I took the stab. Blood gushes between my fingers and it makes me more nervous than I already am.

I feel excruciating pain with every step I take and try to ask for help, but there is no one around and my voice comes out squeaky, almost inaudible.

I don't know where to go and I have the impression that I'm taking false steps instead of actually going forward. Why is there no one passing by? Am I so unlucky that I will wander an entire street and bleed to death?

The horrible sound of a skidding tire reaches my ears and I cringe, feeling scared and confuse. " _The boy is back!"_ a voice screams in my mind, _"he will kill me!"_

I hear the sound of something falling on the floor but my sight is so fuzzy that everything looks blurred. Two hands grab my arms but this grip is different from the other.

It's protective.

"Moon Nano!" says the familiar voice.

I struggle to look up and it's with difficulty that my eyes meet Han Jisung's. Am I materializing him in front of me? Am I delusional because of the bleeding?

I see his lips moving, but I hear nothing. The last thing I see is his scared face before I blackout and feel nothing else.

* * *

I didn't die, that much is obvious.

I wish I had woken up in a cozy bed, doped by drugs and with no one around, like in those action movies after a cut of the scene that spares the viewer of massive details. But unlike that, when I open my eyes, the pain is still very strong and my body is swaying suspended by something.

Suspended by arms. I gasp when I feel the pain in my arm spread and once again that day my eyes meet Han Jisung's.

Everything moves fast around the two of us. I am in his arms and he is running, with great difficulty.

"Just a few more seconds!" he says, his voice heaving, looking away. I don't know if he is trying to comfort me or calm himself.

I know where we are and he doesn't need to ask for help because a stretcher is already coming towards us. His arms release me and others support me so that my body falls on the surface without tottering.

His shirt is all soaked with my blood and his body is moving away as the nurses take me to another room. I see when he leans forward until his legs flex and his hands are on his knees. And then he is out of my sight.

The procedure to stop the blood that practically gushes from my arm is painful. My vision still blurred and my conscience comes and goes almost all the time, while the doctor and nurses contain the bleeding. I don't faint like when Jisung supported me, but I'm not alert either.

They stick the IV line into my hand and apply local anesthesia to the injured arm. I never had to take stitches in my life and even though I'm not in pain, it's strange to feel a needle going in and out of my skin.

Hours seem to pass, but when I leave the emergency room, walking unsteadily, with my arm bandaged and some extra bandages around my body, the hall clock shows that it's not even midday yet.

Han Jisung is sitting on one of the chairs in the hall and when he sees me he gets up and comes over to me, almost in a jump.

But before he gets close enough, my body is surrounded by someone. The familiar smell makes me guess before I even see his face.

“Nano! I came as soon as Jisung called me! ” Hyunjin exclaims, hugging me too tightly. I respond with a weak groan.

"Watch out for her arm," Jisung comments, placing his hands in the side pockets of his jacket.

"Ouch, really, sorry" Hyunjin pulls me away by holding my shoulders. “I was so concerned, Nano. Everything is fine now? Still hurts?"

I look at him and try to contain the tears that are coming. If he hadn't forgotten to give me a ride, that stupid robbery wouldn't have happened. What if I had died? I don't even want to think about it.

But Han Jisung is there, looking at the floor but listening to what we are talking about. I don't want to scold Hyunjin in front of him.

"The doctor said that I didn't lose much blood" I say, showing the paper I'm holding. "I just need to get some medicine from the hospital pharmacy".

"I got it!" he exclaims, casting one of his positive smiles and taking the paper from my hands.

I don't want Hyunjin to do this for me, it's not a good time for him to do me favors, but before I stop him he's already walking away down the hall.

"Er..." Jisung puts one hand behind the back of his neck and raises the other in the direction Hyunjin left. “He went the wrong way, the pharmacy is on the right, not the left. I better go help him.”

He looks at me, like waiting for an answer, but I don't know what he expects me to say. I raise my eyebrows.

"Is it okay for you to be alone for a few minutes?" he complements, after my lack of response.

Oh.

"Oh!" I feel my face heat up. “Sure, you can go. I'm fine and Hyunjin is that senseless”.

"I know" he replies, giving a final nod before leaving.

I sit on one of the chairs, holding my bandaged arm. I still don't know how they met, Hyunjin never mentioned any Han Jisung to me before.

How is it that, out of nowhere, this strange boy is everywhere now?

* * *

It's almost early evening when I return to the dorms. Jinju attacks me with questions when she sees my appearance, but I try to reassure her before telling everything that happened. Well, almost everything.

Jinju and I aren't very close, even though we share a room. I leave out the heroic part of Han Jisung and also Hyunjin's mistake.

"Look," she says, getting up from her bed. "Take a shower, change clothes, I'm going to buy something for us to have dinner, okay?"

I give her a grateful smile and go to my wardrobe to get my pajamas. Only a good meal can save my day at that moment.

I take a not too long shower, as avoiding my arm to get wet is irritating. When I get back to the room Jinju hasn't come back yet.

I take advantage that I'm alone and turn on my notebook. Even though I knew that that would be the final result, I feel a squeeze in my heart when I see the magazine's e-mail saying that I couldn't do another interview. That was my last chance.

My head is hurting so much that I don't even think about asking for a third chance. There is no point in wasting energy on a lost cause. 

An alert pop-up appears on my screen informing me that Hyunjin texted me via email. Of course, my status is online.

_**Hyunjin:** What about having something really delicious for dinner today? It's on me!_   
_**Nano:** Not today, thanks._   
_**Hyunjin:** Nano :(_   
_**Nano:** I need to stay in and rest._   
_**Hyunjin:** Eat is what you need._   
_**Nano:** Jinju went out to get something._

My heart is squeezing again and this time it's not from the interview email. Hyunjin is my best friend and I like him more than a friend, since always, since before we became friends. I don't know why I try to deny it when this is the truth.

So, most of the time it's all so confusing to me. Am I demanding too much of him? Am I wanting him to try harder for me, more than a best friend, because of my feelings?

No, I try to clear my thoughts. He should have given me a ride because he promised to do it and he shouldn't need Han Jisung to help him take care of me.

Another pop-up pops up on the screen.

_**Hyunjin:** Are you upset with me?_

I don't answer.


End file.
